89 MJ

Agreed. For daily driving, it is plenty capable of doing what I need on a day to day basis. When it comes time to actually hook a trailer up, I will not use my MJ.

When you look at what an MJ can haul compared to most new half tons, there is no comparison, the MJ is far more useful as a truck

I really like that the Renix header panel is going back on with a 10 slot grille. Doesn't getter better than a 10 slot, IMHO

I really, really like my Comanche. It is a fun truck and is pretty capable for its size. The bed is great for hauling smaller things, but I hate towing or hauling heavy with my MJ. It just does not feel very planted, but some of that is the fact its a short bed and the way I've built the truck.

September 2026 - The @OSCDumpTruck Build Thread- The OSC Dump Truck (89 Sport Truck 2.5L) Year/Model - 1989 SporTruck rust free edition Drivetrain- 2.5TBI/AX5/231 with Dana 30/35 Cooling- Stock radiator with bypassed heater valve Electrical/Ignition- DIY 4 gauge Big 7 Battery cables, Headlight harness upgrade, group 34 battery Suspension/Steering- Stock suspension height, all new bushings all around. KYB gas adjust shocks, energy suspension sway bar bushings. Power steering Interior- Grey/black two tone interior consisting of factory black interior pieces. SMS black headliner, black reupholstered bench seat, dashcoversusa dashdura cover (highly recommended if your dash is cracked) Cassette radio Brakes- stock and all replaced, custom rear load sensing valve arm Lighting- Dash bulbs stock, added interior foot bulb brackets with leds, cab corner housings replaced with Euramtec. Rampage headlight housings Exterior- 97-01 header panel swap (soon to be going back to Renix header panel with 10 slot grill) and JCR diy front bumper (soon to be powder coated stock front bumper) and original refinished rear bumper with krustyballer hitch receiver Wheel & Tires- mammoth boulder 15x8 wheels with KO2 235/75/15 tires Misc- Vintage Sony CPA-7 cassette adapter for music Best MJ story- A few years ago I had it parked in front of my house. Later that day I noticed with driver side cab corner had been bumped into by a car, hit and run. I ended up trying to get a claim and got it fixed at a restoration shop. The person who did the bodywork did a horrible job, so I ended up taking it to another shop and he was able to do better. But for a while I drove it around with a grey square of primer that eventually cracked from sun exposure. First body shop claimed the repair was acceptable but it absolutely was not. The second body repair was painted with black spray paint. Hoping to finally be rid of that spot (although barely noticeable) once we hopefully get it repainted factory black. CC is Awesome! Why? Comanche Club is awesome for all of the information and experience it has to offer. Out of all the forums, I have such an easy time figuring things out and seeing other people’s builds.

People would definitely be interested in that truck, especially being low mileage

I just did this to my Wrangler (though not the hothead ones because I didn't want to spend that much money on something I wasn't convinced would work). It makes a huge difference and was well worth the money.

Ok, as long as the rust was slowed way down or stopped with that rust seal, you’ll be good for a while. It’s not “the right way”, but it’s definitely better than before and will hold it until you decide to replace the pans, if ever.

Please tell me you cut out the rust, welded new metal in, then did the bodywork over the welds and didn’t just put filler straight over rust holes because that’s a temporary repair that’s just going to speed the rust up. From the inside or the outside? If you did this from the inside, the flex seal is going to hold moisture up against the metal and cause worse rust issues.

This. Especially the width is why I’d steer away from an 8.8. The Explorer Sport Trac is almost the same width as an MJ rear though. I would either stick with the D44 or order a brand new 9”.

BoxyJeep has videos on their YouTube channel. That’ll explain it way better than I can.

Or just do an electric speedo conversion by @boxyjeep https://boxyjeep.com/products/87-90-electric-speedometer-conversion-full-kit

Went out with the Vail Off-road group a couple of weeks ago. Found an obstacle I wasn’t able to do, but I suspect it could make it with a line adjustment.

Any updates?

I would check for vacuum leaks around the intake manifold, especially where the manifold bolts to the head.

I think we'd probably need current pics and more details on what the truck is like currently in terms of engine, trans, mileage, etc.

I'm surprised this hasn't sold yet. Looks like a straight and solid body. Figure also what a 4L80 is worth too. Then these later small blocks were often times a roller cam block. They didn't all have the roller cam, but I think they all were machined for a roller camshaft.

Looks like a nice straight and solid starting point, although not the best taken care of for only 82k miles. What do you mean by a heat pump though?

August 2026 - Grandpa's Truck Preserved by @jodawill Build Thread https://comancheclub.com/topic/75321-grandpas-truck/ Year/Model 1990 Pioneer Drivetrain 2WD, 4.0 liter, automatic transmission Cooling Stock Electrical/Ignition 100% stock Suspension/Steering 100% stock Interior It's nearly 100% stock. I installed a new stereo recently, but I intend to have the original repaired eventually. Besides that, I've upgraded to Infinity Reference speakers and replaced the carpet padding with Dynamat and Dynapad. I also removed my grandpa's cup holder from the window after I replaced the weather stripping because I was afraid it might have caused the leak that ruined the original window regulator. (Sure, the cup holder wasn't stock, but it had been there since the beginning!) Brakes 100% stock Lighting 100% stock except for the headlight relay harness I just installed. Exterior 100% stock with the original bed cover my grandpa bought in 1990. Interestingly, it still has a sticker on the back window that he added before he bought the cover. Since it's always been behind the cover, it still looks like new. Wheels & Tires I'm using the original rims. Two of the caps are missing due to wear around the rim. I won't take any chances driving with them on until I get the rims repaired. Best MJ Story This truck has been a constant throughout my life. My family moved around a lot when I was younger, but my grandparents always lived in the same house, and in the garage, there was always grandpa's truck. He used to pile us up in the front seat to go get some ice cream at a local diner called Poor John's. It was the place where all the old men would gather to drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. The smell of the place is burned into my mind forever. Vanilla soft serve, coffee, and cigarette smoke. It was always just "grandpa's truck." It was so unique, I could only associate it with him, but I never really thought about the fact I had never seen one like it before. In June, 2023, someone called to tell me that my grandparents had listed the truck for sale. My grandpa wasn't in good health, so they had decided he shouldn't drive anymore. It had never occurred to me that there would ever come a time that they would try to sell it. I guess I had always assumed that my uncle would have inherited it, then it would probably sit in a shed for decades. After a very short and panicked discussion with my wife, I called and asked if I could buy it from them. They said someone had already agreed to buy it and they were waiting for him to come pick it up. Thankfully, the guy never showed, and I became the steward of this truck on June 20th, 2023. I drove it straight to my father in law's house to repair a few problems it had, including a broken window regulator. Several people stopped to look at it while it was in his driveway. That was the first time I had realized how special the truck was. It wasn't just grandpa's truck anymore. It was special in its own right. That December, my grandpa fell and had to go to the hospital. He became very ill while he was there, and we eventually lost him in February, 2024. For a long time, the truck mostly sat in the garage. I didn't want anything about it to change. I felt like every part I replaced put more distance between us. I think that started to change when it didn't smell like him anymore. Around late fall of 2025, I finally felt like I was ready to do something with the truck. I started with the gas springs. The window on the cover wouldn't stay up anymore. As silly as it sounds, it was hard for me to throw out those original springs. But I knew he would have wanted me to do it for him if he was still here. I bought a bunch of tools during the black friday sales, then I got to work. Once I got in there, I was surprised by how much work it needed. He had always taken care of it, but a vehicle that old just ends up with a lot of worn out parts that just haven't "failed" yet. Eventually, this project turned into a full restoration, which is still ongoing. I knew almost nothing about automotive work when I started. I'm not sure if I would have had the guts to take on this project if I had known from the start what I would have to learn and do, but I've enjoyed learning all these new skills, and it's been a big confidence boost. It's definitely hard to see things change, but I realized that the alternative is to allow the vehicle to rot. I know my grandpa would have loved to see this truck fully restored. It's my way of honoring him. I think one of his biggest fears was that he would be forgotten when he was gone. I hope that by preserving this truck, he will be remembered for many generations to come. CC is Awesome! Why? I'm not sure I would have been able to do much of this work without the forum. For every question I've asked here, I've probably solved 20 other problems by reading through old threads. I've never considered myself mechanically inclined, but with the help of all the members here, I'm finally learning. I'm grateful to all the members here who've put countless hours into researching and helping strangers like me who pop in and out over the years. This website is an invaluable resource.

If I remember correctly, it was @A-man930 that did the short throw and does not recommend doing it DIY.

I am skeptical of it saying it fits TJs, YJs, and XJs because I know TJs for sure have different shifters compared to XJs.

I wouldn't bother with the stock linkage. I'd recommend going with something like linked above.

Do you want to spend a long time building the truck or do you want to drive it? I’d find a better shell and swap the parts over.

Maybe because of the roll down rear window?

Looks like that was probably a good buy